It’s the unfortunate and awkward truth that pretty much everyone will be leaving the country this August 9th. (In fact, probably earlier.) While we wouldn’t necessarily encourage ditching your homeland on it’s grand 50th birthday, it would be sort of ungrateful not to accept the very generous gift of an extended long holiday. And we all know how everyone dislikes Ungracious Singaporeans!

Thankfully, we’ve found the perfect middle ground. Keep your getaway within the confines of Southeast Asia and keep your unsettling guilt to a minimum! At the very least, you won’t be too far away twiddling your thumbs by the pool while the rest of the country wave their miniature flags for four days straight. And while you’re at it, might as well make a proper experience of it. We’ve handpicked three funky hotels from Expedia for your consideration this 7 – 10 August 2015. And don’t worry – we made sure only to select hotel rooms with Free Wi-Fi so you can stream the live telecast of the Jubilee Weekend. Thank goodness for similar time zones!

Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi, Hanoi, Vietnam

With its roots as a French colony, Vietnam is full of gorgeous European influences that make up for the fact that you’re only a 3-hour flight away. And the French influences are strong with this one. A Premium Room at the Sofitel will set you back by $169; if you’d like to splurge, a Luxury Room goes for $204 – although that’s hardly a splurge. Oh, and to really seal their 5-star rating, the toilets are the stuff of Hollywood period movies. You can almost picture Kate Winslet reclining regally in one of the bathtubs.

Fair warning that you might just fall in love with the place the moment you step into the compound, and subsequently abandon all thoughts of ever returning to our little red dot. But then again, where else are you gonna get Paris for $200?

Phu Chaisai Mountain Resort & Spa, Chiang Rai, Thailand

For an authentic island experience, rough it out in the bamboo cottages of Chiang Rai – on the top of a mountain, no less. But don’t be fooled – instead of coming off tacky and unkempt, the bamboo interior nails kampong chic and simply adds to the rustic charm of the cottages. It’s a perfect no-frills getaway from the nine-to-five grindstone, and being nestled atop a mountain plunges you into the heart of nature. If you decide to leave the tranquility of your private cottage, take a dip in the plunge pools and treat yourself to a view of the stunning Chiang Rai landscape.

Prices start at $40 on Expedia.com, and when you book through ShopBack, you get access to Expedia coupon codes and special offers, plus 8% cashback on all your hotel bookings!

Burasari Heritage Luang Prabang, Laos

Heritage is right – You can’t get more old-school with the décor at Burasari Heritage. The rooms alternate between traditional kampong house meets cabin-in-the-woods, and colonial pre-war Singapore. You’ll appreciate their fine eye for detail as evidenced by the tables made of luggage trunks, and the wicker picnic baskets placed tastefully around the room.

But it’s time to come clean. The reason why we actually fell in love with the place was because of the absolutely sick showers. It isn’t just that they’re shaped like a time machine straight out of the future – their casual placement in the centre of the room (heads up, no doors to the bathroom!) just sort of calls out to you, like, ‘hey, come and take a shower; a futuristic but colonial shower’. Steamy.

And when you’re staying in a room emulating old-school Singapore, you can’t really be faulted for not having national pride, right? Expedia’s special offer lets you book these rooms at prices starting from as low as $84 a night. That’s up to 55% off! And don’t forget ShopBack’s nifty 8% cashback that you can cash out at any time.

All in all, there are some pretty interesting places to be living out your Jubilee Weekend this August. And if you’re still hesitant about making those overseas plans, just slap on a red top and some white bottoms, avoid eye contact at Changi Airport, and you’re good to go. Literally.

ShopBack.sg gives you up to 50% Cashback when you shop online for Fashion, Holidays, Electronics and more at over 500 stores!

Amanda has a shopping problem. (Although she feels owning 48 pairs of shoes is, well, pretty normal.) And now that she writes for an online cashback website, she probably should cut up her credit cards before the damage gets real.
Damn you, temptation.